Impact lending and investing

As a financial institution, how we invest and operate affects your community's well-being. It's a responsibility that we take seriously. That's why our values-based banking model is grounded in the local economy—because we believe you only truly prosper when you're connected to a vibrant, healthy community.

How it works

Providing credit is the single biggest way we can help members and their communities thrive and prosper. We use your deposits to lend to and invest in local businesses, organizations, and initiatives that create positive economic, social, and environmental impacts in your community. That way, we can grow your wealth while making a difference in areas such as creating jobs, reducing greenhouse gases and fighting homelessness.

We invest in local businesses and organizations in a number of ways. We share our expertise and give them savvy advice. We use the strength of our networks to partner and collaborate with them. And we provide them with specialized financing solutions that combine grants, microcredit, start-up financing, traditional loans, mortgages and lines of credit with cash-flow and growth financing.

Our goal

Our goal is to continually increase the proportion of lending we do that has a positive community impact.

Our priorities

We focus our impact lending and investing in the following areas:

• Indigenous communities
• Cooperatives
• Energy and environment
• Impact real estate
• Labour unions and members
• Microfinance - small business and start-up lending
• Social enterprise and social venture

Each of these areas was chosen because it demonstrates a clear, positive community impact, improving people’s lives and sustaining the environment. Many of these areas also have strong growth potential and are currently underserved.